Imagine you’re training for a marathon. The training is tough, you’re out there in the wind, the rain, the beating sun. You’re running for hours, long after the first time you thought “Ok, I wanna stop now”. Now imagine the race is cancelled. The thing that you’ve been working towards isn’t happening anymore – no event day, no being cheered on by strangers, no crossing the finishing line and getting a medal. So, what do you do – Do you keep training or do you stop? Well, the answer will depend on where your motivation lies, let me explain.

To be “motivated” means “to be moved to do something”. Someone who feels no impetus or inspiration to act might be characterised as “unmotivated” while someone who is energised or inspired to act is “motivated.” We all have experience of feeling motivated and unmotivated – and, let’s be honest, it’s often easier to be motivated to do the things that we enjoy!

 

There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic motivation is where you do the thing because you find it rewarding – you are doing the thing for its own sake rather than an external reward. There are three types of intrinsic motivators: autonomy, mastery and purpose.

• Autonomy – the desire to direct and be in charge of our own lives
• Mastery – the desire to get better at or master something
• Purpose – connecting to a larger cause, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. To make a difference, to contribute to something to society, a cause or something you believe in.

 

Extrinsic motivation is where you do the thing for any other reason than the joy of doing the thing. Extrinsic motivators are often rewards we want to earn or punishment we want to avoid – you are doing the thing because you expect something in return or to avoid something unpleasant. Maybe you remember being a kid and being encouraged to eat your vegetables by the promise of ice cream afterwards, or because you were told you’d have to sit at the dinner table by yourself looking at your uneaten dinner until it’s time to go to bed. Both of these are extrinsic motivators – you eat the vegetables so you can have the ice cream or to avoid sitting at the table alone for hours. Sometimes these work, sometimes they don’t but research has shown that this approach to encouraging kids to eat vegetables doesn’t result in an enjoyment of vegetables AND as soon as the reward or punishment are removed, the vegetable eating soon stops. Surprise!

That said, no one type of motivator is better than another – many of us will have experience of working with, of using, different motivators in different situations: Not parking in a “no parking” zone because you don’t want a fine – extrinsic motivator. Practicing what you’re going to say before a big presentation or interview – extrinsic motivators. Practising a new skill that excites you – intrinsic motivator.

 

So, back to running and marathons…

If your training is intrinsically motivated, you might do it for the sheet joy of it (or that feeling just after you finish a hard run!) You might run because you notice yourself improving over time or because you connect running to a bigger purpose (running to and from work to avoid burning fossil fuels in the petrol in your car.)

If your training is extrinsically motivated, you might do it because of the perceived reward, or threat, of the upcoming race. Maybe you do it for another medal or trophy to add to your collection or because you don’t want to come last on race day.

A key to understanding your motivation is imagine your race is cancelled (if, like me, your next is race IS actually cancelled you don’t have to imagine it!) So, there’s no race – do you keep training or do you tap out?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. Training for something like a marathon is HARD and, if your motivator was the actual event, when it’s removed and your body is tired its understandable that you just want to sit on the couch for a bit, or not run back to back days of high KM’s.

If you’re looking to switch your motivators try thinking about the benefits you get from running – maybe it’s the quiet time to reflect, maybe it’s that feeling of the air on your skin, maybe it’s the feeling of being drenched in sweat (I personally am a BIG fan of running on a warm day and coming home literally dripping. Seriously!) Whatever it is, the feeling, the improvement you notice, the contributing to something bigger than yourself, embrace it, explore it and gently move your focus to that the next time you head out. If you can relate it back to something that’s really important to you, that can be even more powerful.

 

If you’re not a runner and you’re still reading, firstly Thank You!
Secondly, this can be applied to ALL sorts of things, not just workout related – eating vegetables, writing a book, studying at school or college, learning a musical instrument or new language and more.

 

Would you still do it if no-one knew you’d done it?
Would you still do it if there wasn’t ice cream afterwards?
Would you still do it if there was no consequence to not doing it?